The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-09-01

lives under the cllf yender, and died
in two months after. Lucky for her
and good 'nough for him, / say. He
was edgin up to Randy Sherman in
les'n six months, pleasant as a barsket
Of chips, jest as he always is. | tell
you, you en- hev some hopes of man
or woman as sometimes rares up and
is mad, and gifts in the wrong, and is
sorry. But when you find one that's
always in the right and never gives in,
look out, | tell ye! Randy Sherman
was teachin' school in that very same
schoolhouse where Mr.. Rankin lives
now when he began to shine up to her.
/ s'pose she thought he was sweeter
nor honey Anyway, she married
him, and / don't reckon she's seen
many happy days sence. Women is
fools! Fools, / say!'
Maria Jane made such violent ges-
ture that the peas fell out of her lap
and rolled over the floor. Max rose
slowly from under the bed and cas-
ually ate all the peas be could find.
Most everybody blames Randy, of
course. They say there never was a
pleasanter man to git along with than
Mr. Rankin. There's only a few as
has kind of sense of what ne really
is. Wall, whatever he is, he's got to
furl his sails now, for / do believe, as
/ said, that the Lords goin' to take
him. He's sick, and Randy, soon's
she heard of it, which was night be-
fore last, was gone over to nuss him.
She's wuth fifty of him, say"
Evidently we should not spend the
day at present with Mrs. Rankin.
The story that Mrs. Yates had told
kept in our minds. The next after
noon an "east turn" came up, SO that
it was really cold sitting out in front.
We started out for a walk along the
cliff road, which winds along above the
sea and close to it. Carriages were
whirling by us and the dust flew. By
this time we knew just where were the
different routes of the public vehicles,
charges" they call them here. We
suddenly decided to take barge" !"
which went within a quarter of a mile
of that schoolhouse where the Rankins
were.
Alighting, we walked through a
small patch of sweet fern that sent up
to us its odor of wild and rock past
ures. We were on hill and the ocean,
gray and misty in its east turn, was
before us. There was the building we
sought, alone, its old red paint nearly
worn off, its whole aspect desolate.
Now that we were here we suddenly
felt that we might be intruding. We
sat down in bed of sweet fern
'sweet fern" they call it here, and the
boys sometimes dry its leaves and
make cigars of them.
Presently we heard a sound at the
door, and, looking, saw the gaunt
form of Randy Rankin standing there.
Her face was turned away from us
and toward the water. Her dark ging-
ham gown hung straight down. She
had her hands clasped tightly before
her, and she suddenly flung them up
ward. There was not a house in
sight-a fog was setting fast 1'er
everything.
Turning to 90 hack in the house, she
saw us and searted. Then she recog-
Med ~. We rose and she stepped
or. IN the tall grass about the old, flat
stepstone.
''Pm mighty glad you've come," she
said hoarsely. II didn't dare leave
him, and l did wish somebody was
here"
Her scraggy face was perfectly pal
lid She had not slept since she came
to the place.
How is hep" we whispered.
Hes goin' fast. l don't expect
he'll last more'n to the turnin' of the
tide, and that's at eighteen minutes
past tonight. I've just ben a-lookin'
into his almanac to find out; it's COM
in in quick, amt it? Just listen"
We did not need to listen. The roar
of water dashing over rocks, sucking
up through chasms, and pounding on
lodges was plain enough to hear. 1t
was now nearly 6 O'Clock.
He amt known me sence the first
halliday | was here Then he told me
he was much obleeged to me for COM
in and twas more'n he expected. I'd
knows I've done right a-separatin'
from him"
She looked off again to the ocean.
Then she cried out piercingly. But
God knows / couldn't help it. He
knows | sh'd have to do the same
thing over again! | should! l shouldm
She struck her hands to together. Her
hollow eyes famed. She was remem-
bering her life with the man who was
dying.
"Husn!" we said.
My friend put her hand on the wo-
mans clasped bony fingers.
She felt the touch and looked down
on Carlos, her gaze softening in a
strange, sudden way that dimmed my
eyes. 1t was almost as though she
had never felt touch 80 gentle and so
kind.
Come in," she said moment after,
in faint voice.
And we went in. We knew that
we should not leave her again that
night.
1t was the most lonesome room |
had ever seen. The desks had been
removed, but the floor remained as it
had been in the old time, when coun-
try schoolhouse floor was made slant
ing from the back of the building
down to the front, where the teachers
desk was placed on platform about
six inches high. This platform was
still there and on this, as the only
level place, Mr.. Rankin had his bed,
which was a substantial four-posted
one.
The windows were high and small.
Mr.. Rankin had evidently disposed of
good deal of his first wife's furniture,
which he had taken when the separa-
ton occurred between him and his
present wife
The cook stove was rusted irrepara-
bly,, which is a thing which happens
quickly here by the salt water. On
top of it was small kerosene-lamp
stove, whose flame was heating some
thing in tin dish covered with a blue
saucer. There were three chairs of
black walnut and haircloth, very dusty
and daubed.
The figure on the bed was perfectly
still and breathing deeply.
Mrs. Rankin sat down beside him
and began mechanically to move fan
over the CHASTITY face on the pillow.
We sat down silently, each on a hair
cloth chair. All the windows were
open, and through them and the door
ha al nj